The Rewards of the Christian Life
The Rewards of the Christian Life THE REWARDS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
Chas. H. Roberson
The Jewish Doctrine
Matthew 20:1-16; Luke 14:12-14; Luke 14:1; Luke 14:7-11; Luke 18:9-14; Luke 17:7-10
Among the Jews in Jesus’ day the fear of punishment and the hope of good fortune in the present and of blessedness in the future were the great motives which influenced the individual. Such a motive has to some extent, the mercenary element in that doing right is prompted by the selfish interests of the individual. The prevailing teaching among the Pharisees was a the effect that one’s title to immortality was assured only when a man’s righteous deeds exceeded his evil doings. This developed selfish and egoistic impulses rather than altruistic and social one, for it led the Pharisees to use many superficial devices, such as long prayers, alms-giving, fasting and different types of sacrifices whereby they thought they might obtain great favor with God. Such a selfish and mercenary conception of religion has proved in every age to be the worst foe of vital personal faith. In Jesus’ teaching there are traces of this baneful influence. The important passage, Luke 14:12-14, directly teaches service rendered unselfishly to those who need it is alone of lasting value. It emphasizes the importance of an unselfish motive in doing deeds of kindness. Jesus’ exhortation to his disciples was to invite those who could not repay. In Jesus’ teachings the rewards are regarded not as the motives but as the result of unselfish actions. This presents a vital distinction between Christianity and all other religions. When you have entertained “the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind”; those who can not repay you, “thou shalt be blessed.” The passage in Luke 14:1; Luke 14:7-11 teaches that true honor comes only to those who conquer self-seeking and pride. Jesus’ understanding of men made him well aware that the man who pushes himself forward arouses the antagonism of his fellows and he who claims less than his due finds championship by all men. The very graphic teaching of Jesus, “For every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; And he that humbleth himself shall be exalted,” should find a ready response in the conduct of every true disciple. This same principle is applied to man’s relation to God in Luke 18:9-14. This narrative brings out sharply the contrast between Jesus’ teaching regarding rewards and that of the Pharisees. The Pharisee confident of divine favor because of his good deeds entered boldly into the temple and began to recite them but went home unblessed. The publican, conscious of no deserving and expecting no reward went to his home justified rather than the Pharisee.
Further, in Jesus’ teaching, it is the spirit and the quality of service rather than the quantity, that are essential. The parable of the laborers in the vineyard, Matthew 20:1-16, surely illustrates the principle that rewards are dependent upon the quality and the spirit of the service. By the pharisaic doctrine of rewards, the claim of the men who had labored longest that they were entitled to the larger compensation, was entirely valid. Their complaint recalls to one’s mind the older brother in the parable of the two lost sons. But to those who labored one hour he gave the same gifts. In any case the gift so far exceeded the deserts that no one had just cause for complaint. The passage (Luke 17:7-10), illustrates the fact that the simple doing of duty is not the basis for special rewards. The thought is: “we belong to God, if our conduct is perfect, it gives no claim to special rewards,” for as servants of God it is our duty to do the best we know.
Faithful Service: Its Rewards
Matthew 4:19-22; Mark 1:16-20; Mark 10:28-31 and parallels;
Matthew 22:32 and parallells; Luke 18:29-30 and parallels;
Matthew 10:39 and parallels
While the mercenary doctrine of rewards was rejected by Jesus he knew well that if a man is to do his best he must have a worthy goal; the more attractive the goal, the more does the man put forth effort. Jesus attracted men by appealing to their nobler desires. ‘‘Come ye after me, I will make you fishers of men” were the words with which he drew Peter and Andrew, and James and John (Matthew 4:19; Matthew 4:22, Mark 1:16-20) to him. There is no reference to material nor personal reward; yet the request of James and John on their last journey with Jesus to Jerusalem shows how selfish their ambitions were (see Mark 10:37, or Matthew 20:21). The words of Peter, Mark 10:28-31 (cf. Matthew 19:27-29, Luke 18:28-30) throw much light upon their motives. Peter’s question is the natural and almost universal one, “what is to be gained by leaving all and following Jesus?” The answer which has been so often given in the past, “Everlasting peace and joy in the future life,” is but a reassertion of the Jewish doctrine of rewards. Jesus taught that this is the result of fellowship in the kingdom of God and did not place it as the chief goal for his followers. References to future blessedness are found more often in ecclesiastical interpretations of Jesus’ utterances than in his own words. The cruel and bitter persecutions which thinned out the ranks of Christians in the latter half of the first century caused men to think with increasing desire of the hope of reward beyond death. This distinction which Jesus made between earthly things and spiritual things was transformed into sharp contrast between the things of the present and those of the future. But Jesus taught that the kingdom of God is both present and future. God is “God not of the dead, but of the living” (Matthew 22:32, Mark 12:27, Luke 20:38). Eternal life begins here and now: death is not the end of life, but is the transition from a lower estate to a higher one. Therefore the goal which Jesus sets before his disciples is the attainment of a full life with God in the present and not merely in a distant future. Such a life is reward in itself for the denials and efforts which men can put forth. It is acknowledgment of God’s supremacy on the one hand and on the other the enjoyment of the manifold gifts which the heavenly Father can and does bestow. When Peter came with his implied question, he had apparently in mind material honors and possessions. Jesus’ answer, “There is no man that hath left house, or wife, or brethren, or parents, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this time, and in the world to come eternal life” (Luke 18:29-30; (cf. Matthew 19:29, Mark 10:29-30) is quite conclusive. Also in Matthew, “In the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel,” the promise is expanded into an elaborate prediction. But back of this lies the statement of an eternal principle, “He that loseth his life for my sake shall find it” (Matthew 10:39), (cf. Mark 8:35, Lk, 9:24, Matthew 16:25), that is, he who gives up all through loyalty and love for the Master shall receive infintely more. It is doubtless true in the experience of many that when there is the ceasing to attain to something selfishly that that thing is gained. Jesus’ teachings reveal the character of the things which come to those who follow him in his way of living. They are permanent and the only satisfying possessions which man can attain: the peace and confidence and the perfect physical, mental and spiritual health which is possible only as a man stands in an honest, trustful, helpful relation to God and his fellow-men. Emancipation from greed, anger, envy, fear and worry is the goal Jesus places before his disciples. This gives complete normal development of the powers with which men are endowed and results from right thinking and efficient and unselfish service. It is not for things nor for mere rewards thath JeSus would have men bend their energies but for perfected, divine manhood with its resulting happiness.
Happiness: Its Place in Jesus’ Teachings
Christianity has been too often thought of as a gloomy religion. One must recall how often the word ‘‘blessed” or “happy” was on Jesus’ lips. It was and is for the true happiness of men that Jesus labored. The importance of happiness is indicated by the prominent place the Beatitudes have in the records of Matthew. They portray in briefest statement the real condition of happiness that is true and genuine. They do not state that the gentle, and the merciful and the peacemaker will ultimately be rewarded by attaining to happiness but that they are already happy. Happiness is as sure to follow these qualities as the “night follows the day.” Each Beatitude gives its own reason. In far too many instances today, happiness is thought of as something selfish and trivial. Happiness was dethroned from the high place Jesus gave it by Puritanism and given over largely to the devil. Even today we find people who have a twinge of conscience whenever they are thoroughly happy. It must be kept before us that to make happiness the chief goal of one’s efforts is selfish and suicidal. Too, many things popularly supposed to be sources of happiness are barren. With the vulgar, superficial conception of happiness, Jesus had no sympathy. The happiness of which he taught is the fruit of whole-hearted self-denial, sacrifice and service. It is freedom from fears and the envies and the unsatisfied ambitions that are the foes of happiness. It is the overflowing that comes from abounding mental, moral and spiritual health. It is the joy that springs from the sense of perfect adjustment with one’s environment, from love and loyalty to God, and from good will toward men.
Conditions of True Happiness
Matthew 5:3-12; Luke 6:20-23; Acts 20:35
The Beatitudes present a marvelous portrait of Jesus and are the crown of his teachings. They reveal the sublime traits which blended, produce that divine serenity radiated from his face and are reflected in all his words and acts. They are great fundamental principles by which every son of God may attain to peace and happiness. They present the goal which mankind is endeavoring to attain by the longer, more tortuous path of scientific investigation and experiment. They assume that it is God’s purpose that all men shall be happy and teach that the ultimate source of happiness is not in achievement nor in things but in the thought and motive of men. Jesus’ message here is not for an impossible ideal but for humanity and society as they are right now in this present time. The Beatitudes as recorded in Matthew may be arranged in three groups: (a) the first four refer particularly to the character and spirit; (b) the next three to men’s attitude toward society; (c) the last two offer comfort and encouragement to Jesus’ disciples amidst bitter persecution, more particularly probably to the harsh persecutions which came in the years following his death. The Beatitudes are Jesus’ “map of life.” They are the most perfect expression, in words, of “the life that is life indeed”—life that is really worth while, and no man who wishes to be what he ought to be, to enjoy what he may, may wisely ignore them. In other words the one great spiritual teacher the world has known definitely sets forth the really basic qualities of life ancTThus reveals to man the great secret of true character, real happiness and right influence. Therefore the Beatitudes are our chart and our sailing orders for the supremely happy voyage over life’s sea and we may be well assured that if life is right now that the future life will also be eminently right.
Each Beatitude is not a description of a distinct class of men but is an essential quality which must find acceptance and expression in combination in each man to insure perfect happiness.
The first Beatitude, Matthew 5:3, (cf. Luke 6:20) emphasizes the receptive attitude.
The “poor in spirit” stand in contrast to the proud and self-satisfied. They are the humble, the teachable, the open-minded as well as the trustful. This great quality is fitly placed first in this picture of the true life for it is the first essential of all growth into better things. The Chief Corner-Stone of True Character is Humility
The second, Matthew 5:4 (Luke 6:21) emphasizes the need of genuine penitence. The mourners are those who are conscious of their own defects and thus filled with dis-content of their own spiritual attainments are sincerely penitent. They stand in contrast to those who without scruple feel free to follow every impulse without compunction. There is implied the sensitiveness of conscience which is at once the condition and the effect of steady duty doing even in the little things.
Groivth in Character is Not Possible Where Penitence is Lacking
The third, Matthew 5:5 emphasizes self-control at its highest power. The meek are the unresistant and submissive. They stand in contrast to those who are perpetually envious of their rights and as persistently claiming everything for themselves. Beecher says: “It is the best side of man under provocation maintaining itself in the best mood and controlling all men.” Meekness is no milk and water virtue: it is a root virtue and is essential to the strong man.
Self-Control, Meekness, is a Root Virtue of All Virtues
The fourth, Matthew 5:6, (cf. Luke 6:21) emphasizes the necessity of persistent eagerness for high character. This Beatitude requires the insatiable desire for character itself,—the unfailing pursuit of the best conduct and inner spirit. Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness stand in contrast to those who have no care for character, who harbor sin unchecked, who desire only the reward of righteousness, not righteousness itself. The righteousness of whicn Jesus speaks is not merely that which comes through conformity to law, but the personal consciousness oT too. approval of God. It means that the deepest trend cl one's being is sot toward the. righteousness of God. The Goal of Hungering and Thirsting After Righteousness is Complete Integrity of Character
These first four Beatitudes emphasize the supreme importance of the open receptive attitude toward God and of that spirit which says “thy will be done," and yet is insistent in the quest of the higher spiritual blessings. They teach the superlative happiness of those eager for God’s rule in their lives. Each of these involves the other: a teachable humility plainly leads to penitence, meekness is the chief aid of the humble spirit and prepares also for the wholesouled pursuit of righteousness, likewise the persistent eagerness for the highest character implies humility and penitence and self-control. The fifth, Matthew 5:7, emphasizes the necessity of sympathy with men.
The merciful stand in contrast to the tyrannical, the hard, the intolerant. To be merciful requires that one shall be courteous and kind; to attain to a sympathetic understanding of men; to be intelligent in the treatment of men. Such is no easy accomplishment,—it is found only in the best, those who know out of their own experience what temptation and struggle mean. To be merciful includes more than mere forgiveness of others. It means kindliness expressed in helpful acts, illustrated in the narrative of the Samaritan. It is then a source of joy, and is essential if man is to claim the mercy of God. But let us bear in mind that God’s merciful attitude is not a reward but an inevitable result.
Every Relation of Men Calls for Such Mercy
The sixth, Matthew 5:8, emphasizes the necessity of deepest reverence toward men. The pure in heart stand in contrast to those who through greed or anger or impure thought are weakened in their powers of spiritual vision. The purity essential to happiness is purity of thought, purity of purpose, purity of act. Such purity can belong only to those who have a deep reverence for the sacredness of the person even unto the severest temptation. Social purity is one of the chief forms of such purity. No love is real love that lacks real reverence. And for this reason, real love becomes the strongest of all human motives to self-control. The pure in heart recognizes the child of God in every soul and treats him not as a thing but as a holy person.
Every Thoughtful Student Knows Hoiv Fundamental to Moral Growth is the Spirit of Being Pure in Heart
The seventh, Matthew 5:9, emphasizes the necessity of promoting love among men. The peacemaker stands in contrast to those who stir up strife and promote war, whether in large or small ways; to those of whom the the proverbs speak so contemptuously—the whisperer, the meddler, the tale-bearer, the busy-body, the tattler and the mischief-maker. Both the Greek and the Aramaic word, means to be well, to be whole, to be complete. The peacemaker is not a coward, but belongs to that high order of men who are able to be reconcilers of their fellowmen and promote peace; and are so, the whole-makers, the harmony makers. He not only withstands hate but postively promotes the reign of love among men. His aim is to bring peace and harmony and completeness in his own life, into that of the family, into the economic world and in every department of society. The Work of the Peacemaker is a Clear Road to Happiness
The second group of three emphasizes the great importance of mercy, purity and peacemaking. They teach that the royal road to happiness is traveled by those who are devoted to the welfare of others. As humility is the first condition of personal growth, so intelligant sympathy, mercy, is the first condition of the true social life. The earnestly righteous man must be sympathetic with men, particularly in their struggle for character and must stand against the two great foes,—lust and anger; and in true purity of heart be reverent toward men. Reverence for the person, implied in purity of heart, is the greatest condition of all high personal relations and naturally stands second in these basic social qualities. At the same time, it demands the highest righteousness in that relation that lies at the very basis of society; and itself presupposes and requires sympathy with men. And once more, he who has the proper regard for the person and personality of men must seek to promote peace and love among men. And this deep and permanent peacemaking implies purity of heart. So clearly each Beatitude paves the way for the following one. The eighth and the ninth, Matthew 5:10-12, (cf. Luke 6:22-23) emphasize the quality of heroic endurance, prompted by loyalty to God, which has been in all the years of Christianity the crowning mark of Christian knighthood. That noble array of godly persons who for the sake of the promotion of righteousness and truth among men, have been willing to endure hardness, to face the trying experience of the pioneer in every realm and thus give inconstestable proof of love that expresses itself in sacrifice and suffering are they who shall enjoy the blessings of these Beatitudes. The virtue portrayed here is not for the lackadaisical, nor the luxurious, nor for the self-indulgent. There is a clarion call for heroic service and a challenge for our easy-going piety with uncompromising questions: Have you really sacrificed at any time? Have you put yourself out anywhere? Have you really stood for your convictions, for right, and purity, and truth, at the risk of some unpopularity? Have you taught by precept and example what God gave you to teach? Has there been the least little sacrifice of a loving heart? Has there been constant thoughtfulness? How poverty- stricken, how swept clean of the best that life holds, would this world be if these last Beatitudes had no place!
Nothing can so equip one who is in earnest in pro-moting the reign of peace and love among men as to be prepared to sacrifice for men—to face suffering and persecution. This sacrificial love includes all the great qualities that have preceded and is itself their climax and final glorification.
Men Know Nothing Higher Than Courageous, Suffering, Sacrificial Love
Therefore the highest traits of character, as put down by our Lord himself are: teachable, penitent, self- controlled, genuinely in earnest in the sursuit of the highest, sympathetic with men, reverent toward men, promoting love among men, sacrificing for men. And as these qualities produce the highest character so likewise are they the supreme conditions of happiness. Further, another author places the Beatitudes in two groups of four each, the first is personal, treating the kingdom of God in our own hearts; the second is social, dealing with the kingdom in our relation to others. The eight (regarding the eighth and ninth as duplicates) form-a definite progress, each leading to the one following and presupposing all that have preceded. As a progress and a unity they may be thus arranged.
Personal
Matthew 5:3-6
1. A teachable humility, Matthew 5:3;
2. Genuine penitence, Matthew 5:4;
3. Self-control at its highest power, Matthew 5:5;
4. A persistent eagerness for the highest character, Matthew 5:6.
Social
Matthew 5:7-12
1. Sympathy with men, Matthew 5:7;
2. Deepest reverence toward men, Matthew 5:8;
3. Promoting love among men, Matthew 5:9;
4. Sacrificing for men, Matthew 5:10-12.
Here, then, indeed is our map of life, our chart, our sailing order, in every relation of life both in duties to God and to our fellow-men. But before this study closes, mention must be made of that other Beatitude, preserved for us by Luke, “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). The truth here expressed though opposite to the ordinary impulses and practices of men, is being demonstrated in the laboratory of human experience. This truth is the logical conclusion of Jesus’s teachings. Men aic net only counseled to exchange material possessions for things eternal and spiritual, but also they are taught that in so doing, they shall find real happiness. Any and all other teaching seems superficial and petty in comparison with the teachings of Jesus. The acceptance of his teaching-; and the faithful application of them represent the narrow way that alone leads to life.
Finally, he who, with mind open to the revelation of God, lives in harmony with the divine will, unceasingly craves for himself and others the highest spiritual blessings, heroically and unreservedly labors for the peace and well-being of society and the extension of God’s rule among men, will find for himself real happiness and the peace that passeth understanding, for he will have the consciousness of the divinity of the great teacher and the certainty of the eternal trueness of his message.
How great the thought that in the fuller, more complete understanding of the blessed Master and his teaching, we can say with a confidence that knows no wavering, “my faith looks up to thee”!